Why the “Perfect Body” Won’t Make You Happy
On Our Minds
We’re in the midst of food allergy awareness week, so we thought we’d drop some facts on the topic. Food allergies affect about 32 million Americans and every 3 minutes someone enters the emergency rooms due to a food allergy reaction. Some of the most common food allergens are milk, peanuts, eggs, soy, tree nuts, wheat, fish and shellfish.
Our body’s immune system identifies and fights germs for us on a daily basis. A food allergy happens when your immune system goes into overdrive when it senses a normally harmless food protein, or an allergen. This reaction can be potentially life-threatening, so food allergies should be taken very seriously (on the other hand, it’s possible to just have a very mild reaction).
Food allergies are different from food intolerances. A food intolerance response takes place in the digestive system, while food allergies involve the immune system. An intolerance can be due to enzyme deficiencies or sensitivities to food additives and/or chemicals.
Any questions about navigating food allergies or intolerances? E-mail us info@brownmedinanutrition.com
In Good Health,
Lisa Brown & Jennifer Medina
Why the “Perfect Body” Won’t Make You Happy
We’ve heard from so many clients, “If I just lose X pounds, my life would be perfect!”
They believe that having a thinner body will make them happier or more successful or more confident (or all three!). It seems as though shrinking their waist will get them a golden ticket to the life they’ve always dreamed of.
However, just changing our body doesn’t address the underlying issues that make us unhappy in the first place. Truth is, we all have struggles. But focusing all our attention on counting almonds and losing inches on our thighs is definitely not going to fix them. In fact, burying these struggles or distracting yourself from them can make you unhappy in the long run.
But, let’s be real. For some people, achieving that “perfect body” may very well make you happy for a short period of time. Key word: short. It is a false sense of happiness that will soon fade. For many of us, these body goals are unrealistic and can affect our mental and physical health in numerous ways.
Instead of distracting yourself and focusing on your outside appearance, try going inward. What’s going on in your life that is calling for your attention? Are you not happy in love, your career, yourself? What are you doing for self-care? How do you cope with your feelings? What are you trying to distract yourself from? Ask yourself the hard questions.
The truth is, even if you get the “perfect body”, there’s always going to be something you’ll want to fix. Is it worth it at that point? What are you sacrificing in order to keep this body? Keeping to a strict diet and exercise regimen can be isolating and lonely, not to mention exhausting. It can lead to preoccupation with weight and food, irritability, weakness, injuries- just to name a few.
Feeling good in your body is something that is created from the inside out. True happiness comes from being kind to yourself and realizing that you have a greater purpose in the world other than controlling your weight.
On the Lighter Side
Recipe of the Month:
Mexican Street Corn
It’s almost grilling season!
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
6 ears fresh corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
To prep the corn: Fold the husk of each corn back leaf by leaf and tie them with a kitchen twine. Lightly brush corn on the cub with oil.
Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until it is browned in spots. Keep an eye on it as this happens rather quickly.
Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder and lime juice in a bowl.
Brush each grilled corn the mayo mixture and sprinkle with cotija cheese. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Recipe courtesy of www.foolproofliving.com